Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Idioms
- the recognition that someone has tried hard to do something even though he or she may
not be successful
The students received an A for effort for their work on the class project.
above average
The boy's marks were above average in all subjects except history.
as easy as ABC
- very easy
back to basics
- an approach in education that uses traditional ideas or methods that have been
successful in the past
The teacher believes that back to basics is important in her classroom and the parents
are happy with the results.
below average
Most members of the class were below average in the math test.
bookworm
brainstorm (something)
- to try to develop an idea or think of new ideas
The students got into groups to brainstorm ideas for the school play.
- to call the names of students on a roll and expect them to answer if they are there
Every morning when the class starts the teacher calls the roll.
- the special cap called a mortarboard and the robe that is worn during academic
ceremonies such as graduation
All of the students wore a cap and gown to the graduation ceremony.
- to move fast or work hard to reach someone or something that is ahead of you
After my illness, I had to study very hard to catch up to the rest of the class.
copycat
The children called the girl a copycat when they saw her copying the test of another
student.
count noses
The teacher stopped to count noses several times during the field trip.
We covered a lot of ground during the first month of the science class.
cow college
crack a book
I did very well in the course even though I did not crack a book until the last week of
classes.
I had to crank out a paper almost every week to pass the course.
cut class
- to not go to class
draw a blank
- to get no response from someone when you ask him or her a question
The teacher drew a blank when she asked about the boy's plans for the weekend.
eager beaver
The young girl is an eager beaver and always comes to class before the other students.
flunk out
- to fail a course, to fail and then leave school
The boy was very smart but he flunked out of his language class.
- ideas that were popular in the past but which are no longer popular or common
My grandmother is from the old school and always made her children make their own
lunches and walk to school.
I was able to get credit for the course which I took in the summer.
The boy was a very good student and got through every course that he took.
goof off
- to waste time
My sister spent most of the week goofing off and was not prepared for her test.
- to be reading a book
The boy loves to read and always has his nose in a book.
higher education
My neighbor was on the honor roll during his last year in high school.
in pen
The teacher asked the students to make sure that they wrote the essay in pen.
in pencil
Ivy League
- a small group of older and famous eastern United States colleges and universities such
as Harvard and Yale and Princeton
The students worked hard and everyone knew their ABCs very well.
The children learned all of the songs by heart for the school play.
My final assignment did not make the grade and I had to do it again.
The young woman was unable to meet the requirements to enter medical school.
off campus
- the situation where people (usually men) who went to the same school help each other
get good jobs
It was necessary to be part of an old boy network to get a job at the law firm.
on campus
play hooky
The boys played hooky and went to the video game center for the afternoon.
publish or perish
- university professors often have to publish books or articles in journals or they will not
be successful in their jobs at the university
The university professor wrote many scientific papers. He was forced to publish or
perish.
The boy put on his thinking cap and tried to think of a new name for the school
newspaper.
The students each had a chance to read out loud from the book of poems.
read to oneself
- to read without saying anything so that other people cannot hear you
I read through the test briefly before I started to answer the questions.
The girl left school early and began to learn about life in the school of hard knocks.
school of thought
There are many schools of thought about how to learn a foreign language.
show-and-tell
- in the lower grades of elementary school children bring something interesting to show
to the rest of the class
show of hands
- a raising of hands in a classroom or other group to vote or see what people think about
something
After a show of hands the class voted to go on a field trip next week.
single file
The students lined up single file before they entered the auditorium.
take attendance
- to record the names of persons who are attending school or something similar
- to call the names of students in an attendance book and expect them to answer if they
are there
The teacher took the roll and then we started the lesson.
- to try to tell or teach something to someone who knows more than you do about it
Teaching some of the students how to use a computer is like teaching my grandmother to
suck eggs. Most of them know more than I do.
- to do something to someone in order to punish him or her for their bad behavior
My friend is always late so I taught her a lesson and left our meeting place before she had
arrived.
teacher's pet
- the teacher's favorite student
three R's
- the three basic skills for a basic education (reading, (w)riting, and (a)rithmetic)
My father studied in a small country school where they studied the three R's.
town-and-gown
- the relations (often bad) between a town and the university and university students who
are located in that town
There were some town-and-gown conflicts when the graduation parties began in the
small town.
university of life
- the daily life and work where you learn more than from going to university
My grandfather began to work on the family farm when he was fourteen and learned
everything from the university of life.
1. The teacher (got no response) from the students when she asked the question.
(a) took attendance (b) filled in the blanks (c) drew a blank (d) cracked a book
Answ er
(a) the three R's (b) show-and-tell (c) the old boy network (d) higher education
(a) a cow college (b) an Ivy League college (c) a town-and-gown college (d) an
honor roll
5. The final exam was (very easy) and everybody passed easily.
(a) off campus (b) as easy as ABC (c) back to basics (d) from the old school
(a) make the grade (b) call the roll (c) hit the books (d) know my ABCs
(a) to learn by rote (b) to live in an ivory tower (c) to have my nose in a book (d)
to play hooky
(a) an A for effort (b) a show of hands (c) a cap and gown (d) an eager beaver
9. I was able to (receive official recognition for) the math course that I took last
summer.
(a) cover a lot of ground for (b) get credit for (c) take the roll for (d) get through
10. I was asked to (read all of the book) before the next class.
(a) learn the book by heart (b) publish or perish (c) read through the book (d) read
the book out loud
11. I worked hard all weekend to (write a paper) for my history class.
(a) crank out a paper (b) meet the requirements (c) pass with flying colors (d)
brainstorm
(a) on campus (b) goofing off (c) counting noses (d) with my nose in a book